Australia’s top 10 farmers markets worth a visit

Visiting the local farmers’ market has become the cornerstone of a foodie’s weekend (and a nicer way to get your groceries than the supermarket). Stock up your pantry at these top 10 outings.

1. Adelaide Farmers’ Market Adelaide, SA

Marketplace details:

A glimpse into Adelaide Farmer’s Markets.

Held outdoors at Adelaide Showground every Sunday from 9am – 1pm.

Market fact:

Each week cooking demonstrations are held inside the Market Kitchen at Adelaide Farmer’s Markets, using local produce to create mouth-watering dishes. You may recognise some of the faces from MKR and MasterChef.

Marketplace details:

Melbourne Farmers’ Markets is held outdoors at Collingwood Children’s Farm on the second Saturday of each month, 8am – 1pm. There’s a $2 entry fee per adult (children are free), which supports projects at the farm. The kids will love getting to know the farm animals.

6. Capital Region Farmers’ Market Canberra, ACT

Marketplace details: Undercover at Exhibition Park, most Saturdays from 7:30–11:30am.

Why not pick up a gooey brownie from stallholder, The Hungry Brown Cow at Capital Region Farmers’ Market Canberra?

Market fact: At Capital Region Farmers Market, the majority of produce at the market (excluding some specialty products) comes from less than 300 kilometres away. The distance travelled by each stallholder is listed on the market website.

Market special: The pâtés of Fine Terrines & Pâtés come in all sorts of flavours from free-range chicken to Porcini and port – but if those don’t tickle your fancy, they’ll try to make one especially for you.

7. Talbot Farmers’ Markets, Talbot, VIC

Marketplace details:Talbot Farmers’ Market is held outdoors at Scandinavian Crescent on the third Sunday of each month, from 9am – 1pm.

Browse vintage finds at Talbot Markets in Victoria.

Market fact: The Town Hall Market is held on the same day just adjacent to the farmers’ market – it sells books, toys, crafts, clothing and more.

8. Margaret River Farmers’ Markets Margaret River, WA

Marketplace details: This market is held at the Margaret River Education Campus on the third Sunday of every month, from 9am – 1pm.

Pick up a treat at Margaret River Farmer’s Market.

Market fact: Stalls at Margaret River Farmers’ Market are given priority based on how ‘local’ the produce is: if it’s made by farmers within the Margaret River Region with their own produce, it takes priority over residents of the Margaret River Region using local produce and those who use products from outside of the area and so on.

Market special: Bahen & Co’s factory is not open to the public, so get your hands on the artisan chocolate handmade using cacao beans and raw sugar.

9. Barossa Farmers’ Markets Barossa Valley, SA

Marketplace details:Barossa Farmers’ Markets is held undercover in the Vinters Sheds, Angaston, every Saturday from 7:30–11:30am.

Barossa Distilling Company flavouring the farmer’s markets.

Market fact: The farmers travel an average of just 15 kilometres to get here, so you know all the produce is local and super fresh.

Market special: Fill up for breakfast on the delicious egg and bacon Market Burger.

10. Gold Coast Organic Market, Miami, QLD

Marketplace details: Outdoors at Miami High State School every Sunday, 6–11:30am.

Market fact: All produce at Gold Coast Organic Market must be straight from the farm and Certified Organically grown. But it’s not just the food that’s organic, there are also cleaning products, cosmetics, clothing and bedding.

Market special: The fermented beverages from Buchi Kombucha, made from organic white, black or green teas (or a blend), organic raw sugar, and a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast, are meant to be ‘ridiculously good for you’. To sweeten the deal, they come in a variety of flavours including Ginger and Tumeric, Coffee, and Hibiscus Galangal Lime.

For a tiny village of 300 residents it is a great achievement to be placed alongside the likes of Adelaide Farmers’ Market, Farmgate Market Hobart and the Barossa Farmers’ Market! What our tiny town lacks in population we more than make up for in a love of local food, passionate producers, supportive customers, dedicated volunteers (both past and present) and community spirit!

A big THANK YOU to our stall holders, volunteers, customers and community that come together to make our market one of the BEST and thank you to Australian Traveller for the recognition!

Tucked away in the Western Suburbs of Brisbane in Brookfield this genuine Farmers Market run by volunteers, uses its profits to feed the homeless and support Agricultural Science students in their honors year at the University of Queensland.

Research into farming practices are essential, and this year prize money went to research into building stress tolerant soybeans in a climatically changing world; sustainable animal food identifying an effective strain of micro – algae to grow as stock feed, and learning to present research results to bio-science experts.

We make our profits benefit the future. Not just another Farmers Market

The Farmers Market in Hobart 1997 was so enjoyable. I brought home a little packet of lime leaves to cook with. My host in Tasmania sold beautiful hosta plants at the Saturday market, as well as other well-grown plants. One of my “treasures” is some old Australian coins. At 93, I won’t be going again, but have so many vivid memories of a splendid land and people.